Fortissimo Capital Confirms No Plans to Sell Control of Cellcom Amid Growth Strategy

Yuval Cohen, founder and managing partner of Fortissimo Capital, shared insights into the firm's acquisition and growth strategies during the Calcalist National Economic Conference, hosted by Bank Leumi. Cohen, who has led Fortissimo for 22 years since its first fundraise in April 2004, emphasized his pride in the team's stability and daily engagement.

Cohen explained the firm's investment approach, highlighting the importance of differentiation and innovation. He cited Origin Seeds, a company specializing in vegetable seed cultivation, as an example where combining global expertise with product innovation led to capturing a 57% market share on the U.S. East Coast with a unique watermelon variety.

He also detailed post-investment strategies, such as transforming a beekeeping company from a traditional equipment seller into a service provider with automated robotic hives and AI-driven data analytics, creating the world's largest beekeeping network with 280,000 hives primarily in the U.S.

Fortissimo's acquisition and merger strategy was illustrated through its food sector investments, including the purchase of Sogot and other brands like Etz HaZayit and Piltona. By leveraging existing platforms and acquiring margin-rich companies, Fortissimo significantly increased profitability and returned substantial capital to investors.

Regarding the capital markets, Cohen addressed Fortissimo's rising profile following its acquisition of Cellcom, Israel's telecommunications company. He revealed that despite recent moves to engage investment banks to boost interest in Cellcom's stock, Fortissimo has no intention of selling its controlling stake. Cohen highlighted Cellcom's strong position in communications, especially in AI traffic and data center connectivity, and noted growing investor interest driven by the company's diverse service offerings and high entry barriers in the sector.